


Holly Duck

by Girlintown



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 1987), DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Huey Duck, F/F, F/M, Gay Louie Duck, Good Uncle Donald Duck, M/M, Multi, Non Binary Trans Masculine Character, Non-binary Lena, Other, Parent Della Duck, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Female Huey Duck, Trans Huey Duck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:48:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28069563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girlintown/pseuds/Girlintown
Summary: Huey is the eldest brother, but what if things are a little more complicated then that.After a letter arrives at Duckmanor, Holly realizes she has a gift and has to go on an adventure without her family to try and save Duckberg.
Relationships: B.O.Y.D/Huey Duck, B.O.Y.D/Huey Duck/Violet Sabrewing, B.O.Y.D/Violet Sabrewing, Huey Duck/Violet Sabrewing
Comments: 14
Kudos: 34





	1. Della and Holly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have redrafted chapter one and two, chapter three will be out by next week

It all started with their trip to the barbers, Uncle Donald and Della took the boys once every three months to make sure their hair never got too out of hand. Huey ran his hands over his short cropped white hair, with the curls at the top. Each of the triplets had the same hair style, sometimes Huey wondered if Uncle Donald had dressed them in such different colours so he could always tell them apart. The boys all had the same face, hair and were the same height but Huey would always be the eldest because of a few minutes extra outside the womb. Della smiled and patted him on the head. The barber shop was a large one but busy, the boys went one after the other. Dewey insisted on going first, Huey just rolled his eyes. So, he sat next to Della on the sofa, with Donald and Louie opposite them. Della was reading a magazine, but she glanced up and blinked at Huey.

‘You’re getting so big’ she said to him ‘soon you’re going to be taller than me, all you boys will be.’ Huey, lowering his Junior Woodchuck Guidebook, returned the smile but that idea made his stomach clench in a painful way. Louie chuckled. He was wearing his usual green hoodie with Jeans. About a week ago, much to Della’s amusement and Donald’s chagrin, Louis had even gotten his left ear pierced. When asked why he shrugged and said, ‘how else will the other gay boys know I am one of them?’

‘Maybe but I think Huey is ahead of the rest of us…...I think you even got a facial hair dude’ he said, pointing. Huey froze, a hot flush spreading across his face, stomach twisting as though someone had stabbed with a long butcher's knife.

‘He does’ said Uncle Donald, ‘I suppose I will need to teach you how to shave soon.’ Huey began to cough, his whole body shaking.

‘You okay bud?’ said Della, putting a supportive hand on his shoulder, Huey jumped away from her and stood up.

‘I think I just need to use the bathroom’ he said, there was one at the other end of the Barbers, you used a code to get in and could lock it once you did. Huey hurried to the other side of the room, locking the door behind him took four tries because his hands shook so much. The bathroom was small but clean with a small mirror above the sink, Huey drank in his reflection as he inspected every inch of his face as closely as he could.

Did he have hair? On his face? He did. But just a few. Long, white like the signature hair on his hand. Using his hands, he pulled them out, he then leant against the door and breathed deeply, slowly, and heavily. There came a knock on the door and his mother’s voice came through the door.

‘Huey’ she said, ‘dear are you okay in there?’ Huey swallowed down the lump in his throat and opened the door.

‘Yeah mom’ he said, ‘I am okay.’

‘That was quite the reaction’ she said.

‘Maybe so’ he said, he headed back to the waiting area, he could feel Della’s eyes on the back of his head. Sitting down, everyone stared at him and he buried his head in JWG without saying a word. He stayed quiet until Dewey reappeared a grin on his face.

‘Look at my new Dew’ he said with a grin, ‘it is so Dewey.’

‘Huey’ said Della ‘do you want to go next?’ Huey paused, then gulped as that twisting in his stomach started again.

‘No’ he said, not lifting his head from his book.

‘Okay’ said Della, she frowned.

‘Louie how about you go next’ said Donald, ‘Huey what is up with you today?’

‘I don’t want my haircut’ said Huey.

‘Do you want to grow it out?’ said Donald, raising a brow.

‘Maybe I do,’ said Huey, still not looking up from his book.

‘You’ll end up looking like a girl if it gets too long’ said Dewey ‘you and Webby will look like sisters, we’ll need to call you Hueya instead of Huey.’

‘Yeah well’ said Huey ‘whatever.’

‘That’s your choice’ said Della and ‘we will all respect that.’

‘Isn’t that a little unfair on the other boys?’ said Donald, scratching his face, how had Huey never noticed how hairy his Uncle’s face was before?

‘I don’t think they mind Donald’ said Della quickly as Huey shoulders tensed again. ‘I think it is best that we just leave this alone for today.’

‘Thank you, mom,’ said Huey’ in a low voice, his hands stopped shaking now and he finally looked up from his JWG and gave a small smile. A bubble had risen in his chest now, a small bubble of happiness.

‘There you are now’ said Della. Louie came back then with a slick grin on his face and Donald paid for two instead of three haircuts. Huey had never really thought about growing up before, he glanced at Donald and Della.

The two resembled each other a lot, with the same eyes, nose, and mouth. But Della was shorter, her shoulders were slender, and her face was rounder with softer edges. The boys would probably look more like Donald then her, broad shoulders, tall with stubble growing on their faces. Huey swallowed, the ugly twisting in his stomach started again, like a thousand little knives in his gut.

He felt an arm being put around him.

‘You know that you can talk to me about anything right?’ said his mother, her voice soft and her face gentle.

‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ said Huey.

‘Whenever you are ready’ said Della. What was he supposed to tell her that he did not want to grow up? That having facial hair made him sick? Well, it was what it was wasn’t it? It was not like he could change these things. After all it happened to every boy one day, it was nothing to get upset over.

Louie had told the other members of the Duck family he was gay about six months ago, all of them had rolled their eyes and told him “yeah we figured.” Donald still did not understand the need for a piercing, but Della found it cute and would tease Louie about handsome boys that she knew he had a crush on. Webby asked if Louie would go shopping with her to which the answer was a firm no. He was still a boy he said, he just also liked to kiss boys. Webby then asked if they could chat about which boys were the cutest and Louie agreed. The two could often be found together having long chat about what boys were the best looking.

Huey meanwhile had also had a crush on a boy in his class. That boy was called Boyd, he had grey hair and eyes and would laugh at inappropriate times. Huey found him ridiculously cute with those dark eyes and awkward behaviour. Boyd also liked to dress in a very formal way with ties and bow ties. Huey could think of a few things to do with those. Louie would sometimes glance at his brother when good looking guys were around with a raised eyebrow. As though he was expecting his brother to say something. One day when it was just Louie and Huey in their room at Duck manor, Louie decided to try probing his brother for questions about his crushes.

‘Huey’ he said, ‘are you gay?’ they were sitting in their bedroom, Dewey had gone off somewhere with Webby.

‘What would make you think that?’ he said, averting his eyes.

‘Well for starters you obviously like Boyd’ said Louie ‘and I don’t think he is the first guy you have fancied either.’

‘Maybe so’ said Huey.

‘Dude, it is no big deal’ said Louie ‘I mean no one cared when I told them I was.’

‘I know but that’s you not me’ said Huey.

‘Why would it be different for you?’ said Louie.

‘I don’t know’ said Huey ‘it just doesn’t feel right.’ Huey shrugged and looked down at his red sneakers.

‘Whatever dude’ said Louie ‘where is Dewey?’

‘He went off with Webby’ said Huey.

‘Are those two a thing yet?’ said Louie.

‘Please’ said Huey ‘everyone knows about them but the two of them.’

‘Yeah’ said Louie ‘just like a lot of people know you’re as gay as me dude.’

‘How do they…...know that?’ said Huey.

‘Dude they can put the pieces together’ said Louie with a shrug. Huey stared at him, it would be so easy just to agree with his brother and say yeah that was the case with him.

‘Louie’ said Huey, choosing his words carefully, ‘I am happy that you’re out and stuff, that mom, Donald, uncle scrooge and everyone else is so okay with it. I get that you’re only trying to help but I still need time to figure myself out.’

‘Alright dude’ said Louie, clapping him on the back, Huey almost flinched at the word Dude. His hands travelled through his hair; it was starting to get longer now, soon it would be long enough for him to tie back.

It was coming up to the boy’s fourteenth birthday and Huey had taken to tying back his hair, much like Della did. Uncle Donald stared at him one morning as they ate breakfast.

‘You look so much like your mother with that ponytail’ said Donald.

‘Yeah’ said Scrooge shaking his head ‘almost as if you are Della come again.’ This made Huey smile as a small bubble of happiness exploded in his chest.

‘What are you smiling about?’ this was Della, she had cocked a brow at him.

‘Nothing mom’ he said, ‘nothing whatsoever.’

Huey spent a lot of time in the local library, he loved to read. He could spend hours in the library or in any bookshop. Walking along the aisles of books, he came across a familiar face, Violet was sitting there quietly reading a book. Huey felt his heart give an unexpected thump. Louie was not wrong when he said that Huey liked Boyd, but Huey also liked girls but especially girls like Violet.

He began walking towards the science section and as he walked through it, he came across a book called _Sexing the Body,_ reading the back almost made his mouth fall open. There were people between the sexes, Huey sat and read it. He then decided to read other books about intersex people and then he started to read books about transgender people, he spent hours there. When it was almost closing time, Webby came to find him.

‘Have you been here all day?’ she said. Huey quickly gathered up the books he had been reading.

‘Yeah’ he said, ‘you know me, I could spend all day here.’

‘Girls’ came the librarian’s voice ‘keep your voices down.’ Huey grinned; his insides were about to explode.

‘Huey isn’t’ began Webby but Huey clapped his hand around her mouth.

‘How about we head home Webby’ he said. As they walked home Huey had a little bit of a skip in his step. He had been called a girl; he had been called a girl. What did it mean that it made him so happy? He sat at home drinking his evening hot chocolate, his thoughts turning over and over. Did this make him transgender? Did all this make him a girl? He had never been feminine but then again plenty of women were not very girly. Webby was but Della and Ms Becky really were not. He gulped maybe he could be a girl.

He had always liked the name Holly. Maybe he could be, maybe he was, maybe she was. He rolled the pronoun around in his head, she, she, she. She was a girl. It was that simple. She was Holly Duck, and she was a girl. With a deep breath she finally said it out loud.

‘My name is Holly Duck, and I am a girl, a transgender girl’ she said, ‘that is all there is to it.’ She finished her hot chocolate and then decided to go and finally have that talk with her mother.

She found Della on the houseboat with Uncle Donald, both were enjoying the evening sun.

‘Hi mom’ said Holly ‘Uncle Donald.’

‘What’s up kiddo’ said Donald, as Della grinned at him.

‘I need to tell you something important’ said Holly ‘I am a girl; I want to be called Holly from now.’ Donald’s mouth felt open, but Della stood up and hugged her daughter.

‘I had a feeling that was what was going on’ she said, ‘I always wanted a girl.’ With that it was time to tell the rest of the family. They gathered them in the large room together and everyone took the news very well.

Webby was happy to have a sister.

Louie was happy to have another queer in the family.

Dewey was happy because this now meant he was the oldest brother, his big sister told him to shut up.

Holly had a new wardrobe, she wore her red caps still, but she got everything else from the girl’s section, she had discovered a deep love for flannel shirts, especially ones with red and black stripes. Her hair was tied back. Louie stared around her new room and shrugged. It looked a lot like the room they all shared, but books were everywhere, every kind of book at that. Fiction, Crime and Romance were the most common ones though and the bed was so neat. He settled on the bed and stared at his sister with raised eyebrows.

‘You know when you said you were a girl, I thought you would start acting more like Webby but you’re still a lot like you’ he said. ‘Maybe you’re failing at this being a girl thing? How terribly for you?’ Holly gave him a flick on the ear.

‘Ow’ said Louie ‘what the hell was that for?’

‘For being ignorant, I am transitioning Louie’ said Holly ‘I didn’t get a personality transplant. I can become a powerlifter and I would still be a girl.’

‘Alright’ he said ‘chill, wow, you really are a girl to react like that.’ Holly rolled her eyes and raised her fingers again, but Louie covered both ears and stuck out his tongue. ‘So typical of a woman’ he said.

‘I am going to take that as a compliment’ said Holly.

‘So, did you fancy Boyd then?’ said Louie, Holly went as scarlet as her flannel shirt. ‘So, are you straight now?’ said Louie.

‘I am bisexual, I like girls too’ said Holly.

‘Wow you’re even more colourful than me’ he said.

‘Please you haven’t even kissed a guy yet’ said Holly rolling her eyes.

‘Well have you kissed a girl?’ said Louie.

‘A lady doesn’t kiss and tell’ she told him, with a smirk. The truth was the idea of kissing anyone was the scariest thing on earth to Holly, but she did not say that.

‘Oh, yeah you sure are a Lady in that Red Flannel shirt’ he said.

‘Yes’ said Holly ‘you’re one to talk, if you could get “I like boys” tattooed on your forehead you would.’

‘I can’t legally do that until I am eighteen’ said Louie with a shrug.

‘Is there anyone you like?’ said Holly, Louie looked at his feet.

‘Who is he?’ she said, grinning.

‘You don’t know him,’ said Louie.

‘Come on’ said Holly.

‘I am not telling you, unless you tell me about the people you like’ he said, Holly only smiled.

‘Okay’ she said, ‘it’s okay you know, you can talk to me when you’re ready.’ There came a knock at the door. It was Dewey.

‘Can I come in or are you doing secret icky girl stuff’ he said to Holly, making her roll her eyes to the heavens.

‘Are you here for a reason or just to bring in your boyish bull’ she said.

‘I will have you know that I have Dewey stuff not boyish bull’ said the middle triplet with a grin.

‘You have a letter; it is addressed to Holly Duck.’ Holly blinked, she should not have received any post yet, she had not even changed her name legally so the idea that someone knew she was now Holly was a little strange. The letter was only a few sentences long.

“You three owe me a favour, I need the Duchess of Making a Mess, the Cyborg and the Shadow Scientist. I will send more information soon. Tell no one about this or else those you love will suffer.’

Holly stared at it, what the devil? What was this about? How did they know about the Duchess of Making a Mess? Who was this Cyborg and The Shadow Scientist? Shaking her head, Holly stared at the piece of paper.

‘Are you okay?’ said Dewey with one eyebrow raised.

‘Oh’ said Holly ‘it is just something from the Junior Woodchucks.’

‘Oh’ said Louie ‘usually you’re happy when you get something from them.’ Dewey snatched the piece of paper out of Holly’s hands then and started reading it. Holly lunged for it, but Dewey stepped out of the way.

‘Uh Holly’ he said, ‘this is just a blank sheet of paper.’ Louie also looked and blinked.

‘There is nothing on it’ he said, Holly peered at the paper, the black writing as clear as summer’s day to her. She shook her head and took it back slipping it under her hat, she must be out of her mind.

‘Are you okay?’ said Dewey.

‘Well, I am a little stressed,’ said Holly quickly ‘I do have a big day tomorrow.’

‘Yeah, you do’ said Dewey with a huge smile ‘my big sister is starting puberty blockers.’ This made Holly smile, he hugged her, Louie joined in hugging them. Things were not always easy but, in many ways, she was one of the lucky ones. Della and Donald brought Holly to the clinic the next day in the car. Holly had already been several times, firstly to see therapists and then mom and Donald had insisted on fertility preservation.

‘Why would I want to do that?’ said Holly ‘seems to be a little weird.’

‘Holly’ said Della ‘this is about having the time to make the best choices for yourself, one day you might want to be a parent, this is making sure you have that choice.’ Holly was given a container and shown to a private room. She had never been more embarrassed in her life. Thankfully, Della and Donald had stayed in the waiting room for that one. Holly was fourteen and the whole process had taken about three months. She had not gotten any more facial hair, but she had gone through a growth spurt. She was as tall as her mother now.

It was with great relief when the injection went in and although it hurt it brought with it a sense of peace. Finally, she would be free to be who she was supposed to be. When they drove back to Duck Manor, she found herself confronted with her entire extended family Ms. B, Webby, Uncle Scrooge, Dewey, Louie, Fenton, Gladstone, and Penny standing outside with a huge banner saying, ‘Well done Holly Duck.’

Her face was like that of a tomato. But she could not help smiling. It would have been perfect. But for the letter burning under her hat.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters One and Two have been redrafted, chapter three will be out soon

Chapter Two

It was not until late at night she was able to take another look at the letter. It seemed to be typed instead of being handwritten, so she would not be able to source the handwriting. 

‘Perhaps’ said a voice from behind her ‘you should let me help you find this person.’

‘I am not letting you out’ said Holly, turning around and looking into a corner that seemed to be empty, but something peaked out of the shadows. ‘How about you show your face instead of hiding in a corner.’

‘How about you release these chains’ came the voice, as a girl who looked like Holly’s identical twin peaked out from the shadows. She had Holly’s face, but her eyes were blood red, her teeth were sharp and her hands claws. ‘You know I can find out who sent that to you.’ 

‘Then you would rip them apart and eat their face’ said Holly ‘I am not you; I won’t let you hurt anyone again.’ The Duchess had gotten free only once before, Holly shuddered to think about it.

‘If it weren’t for me you wouldn’t be alive right now’ she said. The Duchess’s smile was more of a grimace. Her tongue slicked out like a serpent and Holly found herself shaking. She could call on the Duchess and with her abilities she would soon find the answer to this. But then something else moved in the Shadows, twisting around, Holly stared at the darkness and the Duchess snarled.

‘Who is there?’ Violet stepped out of the darkness.

‘So, you are the Duchess of Making a Mess’ she said looking between the two of them ‘I assume you also got one of these.’

‘What are you doing here?’ said Holly.

‘I did an experiment on this piece of paper’ said Violet ‘it led me here.’

‘Hmmm’ said the Duchess ‘you look so tasty.’ Holly went as red as her clothes.

‘Go away’ said Holly, flapping her arms, the Duchess vanished back into the Shadows.

‘Sorry about her’ said Holly. Violet stared at her.

‘Fascinating’ she said, ‘you have a super powered evil side that has animal-like senses of smell, sight and hearing.’

‘That isn’t me’ said Holly, looking away.  
‘Alright’ said Violet, narrowing her eyes further ‘You’re Holly, right?’

‘Yes’ Holly.

‘And your transgender girl?’ said Violet. Holly rolled her eyes.

‘Fascinating’ said Violet.

‘Your friends with Webby right?’ said Holly, Violet nodded, seemingly deep in thought. It suddenly occurred to Holly that she was alone in her room at night with a girl, a very pretty girl at that. Violet has black curly hair she held back in a ponytail, she wore a green pastel shirt and her lips looked soft. Incredibly soft, Holly wondered what they felt like. She shook her head.

‘Why are you shaking your head like that?’ said Violet ‘is the Duchess about to return?’

‘No’ said Holly ‘not at all.’ Violet reached out then and touched Holly’s cheek making her freeze.

‘You’re a very pretty girl actually’ said the dark-haired girl.

‘You too’ said Holly.

‘I need to ask you something,’ said Violet.

‘Yeah?’ said Holly.

‘Do you have any idea who the cyborg is?’ said Violet.

‘What?’ said Holly.

‘The message mentioned a cyborg’ said Violet.

‘No’ said Holly ‘I don’t know who that could be.’ Then there came a knock on the door and Donald’s voice rang out.

‘Holly? Do you have someone in there with you?’

Holly’s hand went over Violet’s mouth quick as a flash.

‘I am okay Uncle Donald’ she said, ‘just had a bad nightmare is all, I was probably talking in my sleep.’

‘Alright then kiddo’ said her uncle. Holly then realized she had her hand on the mouth of a very pretty girl and withdrew it very quickly. 

‘You haven’t told your family about this?’ said Violet, her voice soft.

‘No’ said Holly ‘if I do then how know what could happen, I don’t know who even wrote that letter.’

‘That was a smart choice’ said Violet ‘because I believe I know who wrote that letter and it isn’t someone who we want our families involved with.’

‘Who is it?’ said Holly.

‘The letters are covered in Shadow Magic’ said Violet ‘that means the only person it can be is Magic Da Spell.’ Holly swayed on her feet, in fact she had to sit down on her bed and take long gasps of air. Magic Da Spell…...wanted their help.

‘What would she want with the three of us?’ Holly said, ‘I mean she is an evil and powerful witch, why would she be asking us for help.’

‘That isn’t something that I know’ said Violet with a shrug ‘I wish I could tell you.’

‘Alright’ said Holly slowly ‘listen I think you need to leave now; in case my family finds out you here.’ Violet paused and blinked.

‘Oh yeah you’re right’ she said, ‘I suppose being caught with a girl in your room late at night would be.’ A blush spread across both of their faces and they looked away from one another.

‘How about we meet tomorrow’ said Holly ‘at the library so we can discuss this properly.’

‘I think I have seen you there’ said Violet ‘back when you were…...you know.’

‘Yeah’ said Holly ‘don’t worry just because I am a girl now doesn’t mean I’ve stopped loving books.’

‘I should hope so’ said Violet ‘well then I will see you there tomorrow.’ She vanished then into the Shadows, Holly put a hand over her beating heart and thought well it could be worse, at least she was meeting with a pretty girl tomorrow.

The library was absurdly cold that morning. Holly bundled up in a red jacket with a wool cap, she let her hair fall past her shoulders and she had pulled on a pair of red doc martins with black lace. She liked the way she looked, hopefully Violet would too. Violet was sitting at a desk with a stack of books out. Her hair was swept out of her face, she wore no makeup, and her lips did seem rather pink too.

‘Hey’ said Holly taking the seat next to her ‘so that was an interesting last night.’

‘It was extremely educational’ said Violet, as she scribbled away in her notebook., Holly looked at it and then blinked. Violet’s notebook was a junior woodchuck guidebook.

‘You’re a junior woodchuck?’ said Holly ‘I have never seen you at any of the meetings?’

‘I don’t attend those things’ she said ‘I prefer to spend my time on the more important aspect of wood chucking’ she pulled out a belt from her bag that had even more buttons then Holly’s did.

‘Why are you writing in your guidebook?’ said Holly.

‘Because when something isn’t in the guide, I add it, that way the guidebook can be improved on instead of becoming outdated’ she said. Holly frowned; the guidebook could never become outdated. It was a perfect document, but she did not argue the point. After all her brother would roll their eyes at her if she started talking that way.

‘You don’t approve?’ said Violet, she looked away ‘I know it is a little dumb I just really want to help future generations of scouts.’ Holly had not considered that, she put a hand on Violet shoulder instead.

‘It isn’t dumb, I hadn’t thought about it like that. It is nice to meet someone who cares so much about the Guidebook, my brother think I am so over the top about it, only my mom gets my feelings about it.’

‘No gets how feel about it either’ said Violet. They lapsed into a comfortable silence.

‘So, it is Magica De Spell who has sent us these letters?’ said Holly.

‘Yes’ said Violet ‘a long time ago she was Scrooge’s most powerful and dangerous enemy, but he was able to defeat her and after that no one knows what became of her. There have been plenty of rumours, that she is imprisoned in his number one dime, that he sent her back in time or that she is dead.’

‘But none of that can be true’ said Holly ‘how would she be doing this if any of that was the case.’

‘You’re right’ said Violet ‘she is clearly very much alive and free. Maybe you could ask your great uncle about it?’

‘Not directly’ said Holly ‘after all we are not meant to tell anyone about this, and she is ancient and powerful. She could deliver on those threats.’

‘You could ask him in a round about way’ said Violet ‘maybe frame it as you wanting to know more about your great uncle and his history.’ Holly nodded; she could do that. It was then she spotted someone listening in on their conversation. A boy with dark almost grey hair that were the same shade as his eyes. He wore a bow tie and shirt. Holly felt herself go a little red. Boyd was in the library with them.

‘Can we help you?’ said Violet arching a brow at him.

‘Yes’ said Boyd ‘I am Boyd, a definitely real boy and I think you both got one of these.’ He dropped a letter onto the library table. Holly and Violet both looked at each other. 

‘So, this is the cyborg?’ said Violet and Boyd winced. 

‘Please don’t call me that’ he said, ‘I just prefer to be a boy.’ Before they could start talking though something else happened that was strange. Violet’s guidebook started to glow a dark green. They all stared at each other wordlessly and then bent their heads forward to look.

I am glad you have all met. I need the three of you to come to me in the ruins of the lost city of Mervana. There is something from that city I need, you will collect it for me and bring it to me. You will tell no one about this. I suggest the three of you go home and check in on your families before you leave. Remember I am always watching. 

They all stared at each other. Before gathering up their things and racing out of the library. They all took different paths home. When Holly returned to the Manor, she found the place ransacked as though an army had passed through it and it was completely empty of any people. No one in her family was left. 

Holly searched and searched the manor, surely there was at least one member of her family left. For heaven’s sake there were seven of them but no there was not a soul in sight. The only thing she found that might be of some significance was Scrooge’s number one dime, that been hidden away in a secret compartment of his desk, he had showed his niblings it one day thinking it might come in handy. One the walk back to the library the words of the letter came back to Holly, she owed Magica De Spell a favour? But they had never even met. Except if Magica had been the woman who had first stopped the Duchess all those years ago. She could not be.

Holly held the dime tight in her palm and then packed a backpack with anything that might come in handy while she was away from home. Then she headed back to the library to find Violet and Boyd waiting there.

‘My parents are gone’ said Violet ‘so is Boyd’s guardian.’

‘My entire family is gone’ said Holly, she could feel the Duchess twisting around inside her, desperate to be free. She could find Holly’s family in a heartbeat and she could also tear apart Duckberg in a matter of minutes. Holly felt Boyd put a hand on her shoulder. 

‘I know what it is like to be holding in great and destructive power’ he said ‘don’t let it out here if you do there is no telling what could happen. This Magica De Spell has taken away everything from us all, we need to remain rational if we want to get our families back.’

‘Rational’ said Holly ‘you mean scared? If I had told my family about the letters, then we would not be here now. If I had told Scrooge about Magica years ago then this would not have happened.’

‘You have met her?’ said Violet.

‘Once’ said Holly ‘the thing inside me got lose and a woman with green skin and black hair stopped it, I thought she was a ghost or a dream or something.’ But in truth she had not been any of those things. She had stopped the Duchess. Holly felt her whole body shaking. Boyd gripped her hand.

‘I also have a power inside me’ he said, ‘but if you let it out without controlling it then you might never see your family again, just breathe Holly, just breath.’ Holly took an agonizingly slow breath and then started to cry. It was all too much. Her tears must have been infectious because like a virus they took hold and all three of them were soon sobbing on the steps of library together. It took what felt like hours until they were all a little calmer and could look at each other without breaking down into tears all over again.

‘Now what?’ said Boyd.

‘I would suggest’ said Violet ‘for now that we do just what Magica wants us to do, she might give us back our families, she might not but either way it means that for now we do her bidding.

‘So’ said Holly ‘we are heading to the lost city of Mervana.’

‘I think I know how to help us get there’ said Boyd. The girls followed him as he took them to his guardian’s home. They approached a strange looking building that Holly vaguely recognized as being one of her uncle’s. They stepped into the lifter and to the girls blinked as they went down.

‘You live underground?’ said Violet and Boyd nodded. They stepped out into a large circular room filled with work benches and tables. Everything that looked like it came out of a science fiction book or movie was there. Robots with their eyes dead, strange contraptions and vials of bright liquid.

‘Is your father a scientist?’ said Holly.

‘My guardian and yes’ said Boyd walking across the room towards the back. Holly and Violet exchanged a look, so Boyd did not live with his biological parents then? Where were they? Dead? Probably best not to ask him about that. But Holly did have another question for Boyd though.

‘Boyd’ she said, ‘why does Magica call you the Cyborg?’  
‘I guess since we will be working together, I should tell you’ he said ‘my arms and legs are mechanical, I lost them in an accident when I was young, and my guardian replaced them with these. They have certain functions that most prosthetics don’t.’ Holly would have liked to ask more but figured it would be rude to do so and instead said.

‘How do you intend to take us to Mervana?’ she said.

‘Through this’ he said as they reached the backroom, it opened into a what looked like an entrance to the sewers and a gigantic machine that had a curved body and round windows.

‘A submarine?’ said Holly ‘but it will never fit through the sewers.’

‘With my magic it will’ said Violet. Holly glanced at her and then nodded, together they boarded. Holly paused then as a bright light came out of her backpack. She opened to find on the first page a message from Magica De Spell.

‘I am glad you all understand just how serious this is’ she said ‘I have included a map here with how to reach the underwater city. Remember I have my eyes on you at all times.’ The three of them swallowed and then set off into an adventure together. Boyd steered the Submarine first and then allowed Violet to take over for a while. Holly sat in the back with her guidebook opened, reading and rereading Magic’s words repeatedly. Boyd settled down beside her and the Submarine broke out into open sea. 

‘I feel so useless’ said Holly ‘I mean you’re cyborg with all these cool machines and Violet has her Shadow magic stuff, what do I bring to the table?’

‘You have powers too’ said Boyd ‘but you’re scared to use it because you can’t control it yet.’ Holly sucked in a breathe because she could not imagine that the Duchess could be controlled. 

‘How long do you think it will take to get there?’ she asked Boyd. He shrugged.

‘Probably a day or two’ he said.

‘Want to play a game?’ Holly said, ‘withdrawing a deck of cards from her bag.’ Boyd took them and examined them.

‘Did you make these?’ said Boyd.

‘I did’ said Holly with a shrug ‘I have had plenty to do in that Mansion.’

‘Wow’ said Boyd ‘they match the guidelines set out by the Guidebook perfectly, the right size and shape.’ He grinned at her and Holly felt herself blush. They played the games peacefully together and eventually dosed off. But later Holly would awake with a start as something slammed into the side of the submarine. The whole thing shook.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Holly stood up and they nearly fell over, Boyd grabbed her hand to keep her steady and Violet gestured frantically with her hands before swerving violently to avoid the thing outside the submarine. Whatever it was hitting against it was large and seemed in a dangerous violent mood. Holly looked out one of the windows and saw something that made her face freeze in such a way that she looked more like a doll then a girl. The creature outside was a monstrous fish with red eyes and hand clawed hands. Holly swallowed. As Violet took a swerve and dived deeper into the sea. The creature attacked the back of the Submarine swimming as fast as the machine moved.

‘How far away is the city?’ Holly said as she clutched at the walls and Boyd to try and keep her balance. A horrible screeching noise came from behind them and they all felt the creature gaining on them as if itself was in the submarine with them. Holly bit down on her tongue as the Duchess twisted alive inside her, fully prepared to fight the beast and tear it apart.

‘At least a day away’ said Boyd and Violet let out a curse that made both Holly and Boyd blush. If her family had heard that Holly would have been grounded for a solid week. Holly felt the Duchess twisting inside if her again, Boyd was right she had power, but it was useless because she could not control it, if she could maybe she could something about that stupid fish. But right now, it looked more like they were all going to be eaten alive and Magica would have her family forever then. Well, that was not going to happen. 

‘We need to find a way to hide from this damn thing’ said Violet ‘Holly find my guidebook I have spells in it. Boyd take the wheel.’ Holly grasped at Violet’s bag as the ship shook again. She pulled out the book and handed it to Violet who rifled through the thing her hands shaking. She found what she was looking for and began to speak.

‘De la oscuridad que viene vas a volverlo’ she said with a flash of sudden purple light, everything went back to being still and normal. Holly fell to the floor her breathing awfully hard. Holly put a hand on her shoulder and offered her a hand. Pulling her up the two girls smiled at each other.

‘Was that Spanish?’ asked Holly with an eyebrow raised.

‘The spells are originally in Latin’ said Violet ‘but Spanish is close enough for it to still count, I can’t speak Latin so Spanish is as good as I can manage.’ 

‘You’re both so incredibly’ said Holly with a grin and she meant it. It was then that they heard the sounds of what could be a serin, a single glance out the window again and they saw a group of what looked like…...mermaids coming towards them, along with mermen, and they had large creatures with them including seahorse, sea dragons and fish. The three of them glanced at each other, looks like they had company. A voice cut through the air then, or rather the water, speaking in a strange tongue.

‘They are saying that we have banished their king and we will be taken into custody’ said Violet, she had gone very white.

‘Could get him back?’ said Holly.

‘Yes’ said Violet ‘but I don’t think that would be such a good idea either.’

‘Probably not agreed’ Holly as her guidebook began to glow again. Snatching it up she opened it and found something that made her see red so fast she wondered if the Duchess had somehow slipped out desperate all herself control. Another message from Magica it simply said one thing though. Steal the Harp of Mervana. 

‘So, we are just her troops now?’ said Holly.

‘What even is the Harp of Mervana?’ said Boyd.

‘Where is all of this going?’ said Violet.

……….

The three of them were forced into scuba diving equipment and had harnesses fixed to their chests. They were frogged-swimed into the lost city of Mervana. The place was thankfully not fully underwater, more that it was half submerged. Holly pulled off her helmet and looked around. Everything was white, pastel blues and pale greens. It put her in mind of something out of ancient Greece or perhaps even Rome.

‘Do you know where they are taking us?’ said Holly.

‘To see the Queen apparently’ said Violet.

‘Are we really going to rob these people?’ said Boyd.

‘Unless we want Magica to keep our families hidden away, yes we will steal from them’ said Violet.

‘Perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement with them instead’ said Holly.

‘How do you mean?’ said Boyd.

‘I have an idea’ said Holly ‘as my little brother likes to say if you can talk you can talk your way of it.’ She felt a pang inside her, she hoped her brother was okay. The throne room took their breath away. Everything was made of crystal, and a beautiful woman sat up on a raised dais, her tail was silver, her hair black and her face so perfect. Too perfect actually. It made Holly feel rather settled.

‘These are mere children’ said the Queen ‘and they have banished our King to the Ocean’s only knows where?’

‘Yes’ this was Holly’s voice ‘we have banished your King and if any harm comes to any of us you won’t be getting him back.’ Queen’s surface smile faded, and she narrowed her eyes.

‘You think you’re in a position to make demands?’ she said, ‘you are surrounded by my soldiers and held in my city.’

‘And we have the power to banish people to the black depths of the Ocean’ said Holly ‘so I would suggest that yes we do.’ Queen met Holly’s gaze, she must not flinch, she must not flinch, she must not flinch. She would do what her little brother Louie would do.

‘So, can you bring people back from the black depths?’ said the Queen, her eyes now narrowed so far that they resembled slits of a cat. 

‘Of course, we can’ said but for a price, we want the Harp of Mervana.’ The atmosphere of the room began to change as the merfolk bristled at the idea and the Queen’s eyebrows shot up. 

‘For what purpose?’ she said, ‘after all an item such as that is not something, I should give to just anyone.’

‘We need to help people we care about’ said Holly ‘after all you should be able to understand that.’ The Queen paused.

‘We must think on this’ she said, ‘take our guests to some privates rooms and leave us to come to a decision.’ The trio were marched away by a group of guards.

>>>>

‘Well,’ said Violet ‘that was certainly an interesting play Holly.’ They were sitting in a surprisingly nice chamber with warm beds and even a sweet bathroom. 

‘Are you angry with me?’ said Holly.

‘Well, it was me who banished the king not you or Boyd’ Violet said.

‘That is true but here is the thing if I had said that it was you then they might have tortured the two of us to get info out of you’ said Holly ‘better they think all three of us have that type of power.’

‘Hmm’ she said ‘I see your point. Well, you did play it very well, the Queen might just help us out if that is the case.’

‘Or she could leave us here to rot like rats’ said Boyd ‘we need to come up with some sort of plan.’

‘She won’t leave us here to rot’ said Holly ‘she needs us to bring back the King or at least she needs Violet, but she doesn’t know that.’

‘So’ said Violet ‘did you plan that or just come up with on the fly?’ Holly shrugged. The door to the cell twisted opened then and in walked the Queen. The trio glanced at each other and the other two nodding to Holly. Holly drew in a breath. As her brother Dewey would say it was time to Holly it. 

‘So, three mere children’ she said, ‘banished my husband and king to the black depths?’

‘To be fair’ said Boyd ‘we didn’t know he was your husband.’

‘He usually doesn’t look like that’ said the Queen ‘usually he is rather handsome.’

‘Well,’ said Holly ‘we have something you need, and you have something you need.’

‘Yes, but the Harp is lost, there is only a small part of it left’ she said in her hand she held a string from the harp itself, ‘I don’t know where it is, and you won’t be leaving here until you return my husband.’ By all the Ducks dammit, thought Holly but she was not going to give up that easily, after all as Uncle Donald said she was a Duck.

‘Perhaps we could work together to find it?’ said Holly, glancing at Violet who shook her head.

‘There is no magic for locating a lost item that I know of’ she said, ‘I am almost completely self-taught. I only know three spells, tracking spell which only works on Shadow Magic, time stopping spell and a shadow sword spell used for fighting.’ Holly paused well that was a snag.

‘Holly could find it’ said Boyd, making Holly freeze. Holly could not find but the Duchess could find it. Holly swallowed as the Duchess raised up inside her. But she had to do this though. She had to do it for her family as well as Boyd and Violet. Their families were lost too. Slowly she took the string from Magic and concentrated.

I just need you to help me find this Holly told the Duchess please do not hurt anyone.

As much as this might surprise you, I also want to find our family said the Duchess since you will not let me loose on the world, I suppose we will need to do things your way, at least for now.

‘I think I might be able to find out where the Harp is’ said Holly as a strange smell filled her nose, like that of something old and rusty. Boyd smiled and put his hand her on her shoulder.

‘I knew you could do it’ he said with a smile. They followed Holly through the city as she lead them to a tower in east section of the Ruins, the Queen and her guards were following close behind the trio and they glanced at each other.

‘I don’t think she is going to honour any deal we make with her even if I bring back her husband’ said Violet under her breath ‘we might have to fight our way out of this one.’ Holly swallowed, using even more of the Duchess’s power was not a good idea.

‘I think I can help us escape’ said Boyd in a low voice, he whispered his plan to them and they both nodded. This was going to get messy. But the three of them could handle messy. They climbed a long flight of stares and Holly groaned as she reached the top.

‘Ugh’ she said, ‘those stairs were a mess.’

‘Correct’ came a woman’s voice seeming from everywhere ‘I told the King we needed to fix them, but he didn’t listen he didn’t want to hear the truth. Which is what I offer.’ They looked up and standing on a balcony was the Harp of Mervana. She had the head and body of a woman but from her feet and out of her back was a harp, almost as if they were melded together. 

‘I can get up there’ said Boyd, he jumped into the air and his feet turned into rockets and he fly through the air. Holly blinked there was something so graceful about the way Boyd moved through the air. He landed on the Balcony and the Harp continued to speak.

‘The King didn’t want to hear the truth folks and that is what I offer.’ Boyd snatched up the Harp and Holly’s eyes flashed to the Queen, who was smiling in a way that did not seem friendly, more a display of teeth than anything else. She nodded at Violet, who began to speak in Spanish again. 

‘A veces el tiempo necesita tomar una siesta.’ Everything around them seemed to freeze and take on an almost purplish glow. Only Boyd, Holly and Violet could still move. Holly’s mouth dropped opened and Boyd stood rooted to the spot.

‘Move’ screamed Violet ‘it won’t last awfully long.’ Boyd was back in the air now and Holly jumped on his back while Violet grabbed onto his other hand and they moved up and into the sky. The spell then gave out and suddenly there came a scream from behind them as the Queen’s voice followed them. But she could not follow them as merfolk were people of the sea and they were moving through the sky.

They landed not too far from Mervana but on firm dry land. Violet stood for a moment and then almost fell over, Holly reached out and caught her lowering her to the ground. 

‘That spell really took something out of you’ said Holly, Violet did not respond just closed her eyes and fell asleep.

‘Is she okay?’ said Boyd.

‘She is fine, just sleeping is all’ said the Harp ‘in the meantime there is a lot I need to tell you two.’

>>>>>

The room was almost completely white which clashed with the entirely black furniture. But the colour scheme was the least of Louie’s problems at the moment. There were no windows, only one door and he had crawled over every inch of it looking for anything that could maybe help him get out. There was only one thing he could try doing. He had his own bathroom and food arrived everyday at the same time. There was also a clock on the wall. Louie watched as the clock struck six in the afternoon and the door opened (for some reason it never opened for Louie) and a teenage boy maybe around sixteen walked in with a tray.

Well, it could be worse, after all his jailor could be less handsome. If you could talk you could talk yourself out of something, trademark Louie Duck. Louie put his hands in his pocket and leaned backwards in his chair. This guy only ever looked at his feet when he came to serve Louie food, which meant he was ashamed of himself and Louie could use that to his advantage.

‘Wow the cat just doesn’t have your tongue, it has eaten it’ he said. The other boy paused and then looked up at Louie, eyebrows quirked up. ‘You have come here three times a day for the past few days without saying a bloody word’ said Louie with a shrug ‘so what is your deal? I would at least like to know the name of my warden.’ This made the other guy laugh.

‘My name is Len’ he said, ‘and I am hardly your warden.’

‘Really so then who is?’ said Louie.

‘It’s not going to be that easy you know’ said Len, rolling his eyes.

‘Can’t blame a guy for trying’ said Louie ‘I mean it is not everyday that I am taken hostage by an attractive fella.’ Len was blushing.

´My pronoun are actually they and them´ said Len still not meeting Louie’s eyes.

‘Well, a handsome person then’ said Louie ‘you know my sister is trans too?’

‘Yeah, I do’ said Len, they finally met Louie’s eye and returned his smile ‘you’re the first person to actually refer to me by my pronouns.’

‘Really’ said Louie with a smile, he reached out and brushed his hand across Len’s shoulder causing them to blush.

‘I’m sorry’ said Len, stepping backwards ‘I really can’t help you if I could….’

‘What is stopping you?’ said Louie.

‘You don’t know what she is like’ said Len ‘if she knew I was even talking to you she would…….’

‘If you hate it here that much and are so unhappy then why don’t you leave?’ said Louie.

‘Because I cannot, there is no….’ said Len.

‘Help me get out of here’ said Louie ‘and I will make sure that you have somewhere else.’ He meant it too if his uncle scrooge were still alive then he would have the manor and if not, then Louie would call dibs on it as his favourite great-nephew (yes, he was the favourite regardless of what Dewey might say.)

‘I really wish’ began Len but then they turned and walked out of the room, Louie watched them go and shook his head. Well, it had been worth a shot. Maybe when Len came tomorrow, he could try again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW Len is a non-binary take on Lena, I love the Louie and Lena ship but since I made Louie gay in the first chapter and can't just undo that now I am making him fall for a trans masculine version of Lena instead. Also, I wanted to include more trans characters and a lot of fans think of Lena as nb.

**Author's Note:**

> If there is a genuine interest in this I will continue the story. Who would you like to see Holly with?


End file.
